Unfinished business
by Faraaway
Summary: POST-OST. My own 5th POTC movie, 'cause I couldn't stand the lack of Sparrabeth, so ya. Read, review... I hope you enjoyed the ride.
1. Surprise

_Bang… Bang… Bang…_

It's all I hear. Clashing sound of swords and firing bullets fills up my ears with sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'm looking around like a mad woman with a mission; hell I've got a mission right now and it's not get killed. As I pull the trigger of my pistol another thought comes to my mind; where's my little Liam? Is he safe as Jack promised?

As doubtful as I am of Jack Sparrow's motives about taking both of us on his commandeered ship; as hopeless I am in believing in him and his good heart. I remember a comment Jack said those all years ago when we were trying to get a way out from the sea-of-dead. Back then, one day when he just barely passed me on his way; I stopped him. I wanted to say something but before I could spoke as much as one lonely word he glared at me, twisting his mouth in mock happiness of seeing me and said something about Barbossa tellin' him that he's too good for being real pirate; that this _goodness _is going to be the death of him...

Never in my entire life I didn't feel so dirty and twisted. So evil... Jack seeing upon my face horrified look I gave him only smiled more bearing his gold teeth glittering in the shining sun. Talk about man's lost trust. That strange cloud of misery hung above us two till the very end; only when_ the_ battle was over and Will was gone it seemed to disperse little bit, holding ours spirits up. Then I've had that one last day with my husband, father of my son.

If I should be honest with myself I'd had to say I really hoped that Jack would wait for that day to pass (_for me_) and then show up with a proposal of sailing the seas together. I think I wanted that because he was only man that stood-by my side once; _because he was the only _living_ one_. Of course truth wasn't all that pretty pink and I was stranded on that little island all alone, _with nobody but _me_ and my confused thoughts._

Soon enough days changed into weeks, they into months and all in all years went by too fast and too furious. I buried chest on that island and went on journey looking for something to keep my mind off of Will's and Jack's disappearance. It helped for some time, sometime later I learned I was with child. Will's child. After that everything came back to me twice that strong, heavier to bear with. I fell apart which isn't too much of a surprise...


	2. Cold

_Bang… Bang… Bang…_

Fight is going on. It seems it's not going to end anytime soon. We have too much to lose, Jack and I. Both of us. My ears register sound with few seconds delay, I'm not surprised though thinking about how loud is it here. You don't know, you don't feel. But I do and I am scared like never before in my entire life.

Thunder cross the sky, first one. Rain is pouring heavily onto deck soaking everything and everybody. I can barely see with my hair stuck to my forehead, cheeks. How I cursed right then that I had to cut them shorter and it was all Jack bloody Sparrow's fault! My heart burned with anger; adrenaline pumped through my veins and I used this as my ruff against advancing enemies. There were so many of them. I could've bet my hand chopped off I've heard mermaids too.

On thought about those half women goose bumps appeared on my forearms. I was completely freaked out by them. It weren't the looks though but their predatory nature. Somehow I couldn't stand that something so unusual and beautiful could kill just as easily. On opposite side there was me and my blood, _their_ blood. I know how that sounds, bonkers at least but that's true. I'm _half mermaid_ and I just barely learned this.

I've got to thank Jack for this. The truth is if not for him I wouldn't have to escape from my home in Nassau and probably never met Angelica as well as I wouldn't find him all alive in Tortuga _drinking rum_. Yes and to add more, he saved me from myself at least once for what I'm really ashamed. However if not for him and whatever he said to Mermaid Queen I'd be gone as the Elizabeth Swann-Turner right now and changed into one of _them_.

Second thunder boomed above our heads. Sword started to slip from my hand every now and then but I'm trying not to lose my steady grip no matter how hard it is to do so. Enemies are closing onto us, not good. I think I hear Jack somewhere behind me but it's difficult to say with battle going on and all guns shooting around. It's still so loud.

I slipped on deck, I fell down. My swords went half way through deck and my only hope were my pistols. Before I could blink someone stood up proudly above me with sword's sharp tip glittering in the rain pointed straight at my heart. I gulped acting as fast as I could. Bloody pirate's ugly smile slipped from his face faster than I could point my pistol. He fell hard.

Rain poured at my head while I sat clutching my gun in hand. From the corner of my eye I saw Angelica pointing hers little paralyzing gun at another pirate. _Goodness_, why that girl was a pirate I didn't know. She couldn't kill, never. Jack seemed pretty much interested in her and I don't mind it at all, she's beautiful woman. Why then I'm so sad when he's looking at her with such care in his eyes? I remember when he looked like that at me but it was a way before… _I left him._

Third thunder stricken. Sea wasn't calm, storm was getting stronger and all ship rippled like mad from one side to other. Jack's words got lost between raindrops and Angelica's cries to him. Curious what's going on I looked around and stopped dead. My blood got cold, I couldn't breathe. I started to convulse on deck, sometimes my eyes could catch a glimpse of Jack and Barbossa… Angelica running up to them… Light within dark clouds… Darkness… Light… Jack… Pistol… Darkness closing on me… Cold…


	3. Hope

_Bang…_

This time it was different, much more different. I felt pain in my chest, it was burning at first but now it feels as if someone was putting sword through the bullet hole which was made just mere second ago. There were tears on my face, I could finally see once again. Darkness was gone but pain didn't left me, he stayed like good ol' pal.

My brain with delay noticed that I am looking at someone. At first I couldn't say who pulled the trigger, view was a little too hazy and fuzzy for me. So I blinked and unbearable pain shoot through me harder, making me to squint my eyes. However I needed to know who, so I opened my hazel eyes and this time I saw.

Somehow just then I noticed that the only sound I can hear was that of pouring rain and yet another thunders. Battle stopped dead in track, some still alive pirates were looking with awe at me and I didn't even know why.

Only when I met dark brown pools from behind still smoky pistol the situation hit me with all its might. Right there in front of me was standing _the _only_ man_ with such dark and enigmatic eyes. Captain Jack Sparrow. He shoot me to death, I feel it coming fast now. I'm getting colder with every ticking second, my life's ending.

We're looking into our eyes. I try to find something behind that dark pools of his, at least little caring but I can't. He don't care about me anymore, he shot me with cold blood. He's not smiling nor crying, he looks like he's waiting for something to happen. It happens, I hear within wind voice belonging to Hekate; she's laughing hard.

Next thing I know Jack's brow is furrowed in thought and his eyes aren't cold and unforgiving as they were before. He stares in my direction with such regret that my heart almost leaps out to him in happiness. Unluckily it's too late to do anything now. I'm not strong enough even to smile a little. Wind almost knocks me out and I sway visibly on my jelly legs. I feel so lightheaded I lose my footing.

For the first time I'm not angry at him and I haven't the slightest why's so. He just killed me. But I can't be angry right now. I'm sad and scared, I feel the blood escaping my body and it only frightens me more. Sound's getting weird as if from afar, I hear Jack as he's running to me. He kneels and speaks something but I don't understand him.

I'm trying to remember everything about him as he rests me comfortably in his arms. Only now I realized how badly he's going through this. His eyes are crazy, mad even. He's confused, sad… guilty. He's rambling like madman I see and I can't not smile even if only on the inside. His kohl lingering under eyes is all smeared, his dreads hung loosely like a halo around us. I like blond tips, a lot but he never heard this from me and never will.

I'm taking smaller breaths now because of the pain, it's too much. _Hurts like hell_. Jack's still speaking to himself wherever Angelica looks sadly at me and Barbossa, he tugs at his hat little. So they are saying their quiet goodbyes to me for which I am really glad and bit surprised. Jack however yet didn't accept the thought that I'm dying.

It's funny thing. Fate. Don't you think? So many years ago I dreamed about sailing the seas, being real pirate but never, ever the thought that I might actually die didn't cross my mind once. But then I was much younger back then and I killed… Jack Sparrow, but again I came back for him. I sailed to the worlds end to bring him back and it _was_ possible!

That map was destroyed though I've heard. _Shame_.

Someone's shaking me. I even didn't know I closed my eyes. When I opened them I saw Jack's face staring at me warningly as if that could help me. Rain still was soaking the ship, waves were calmer though. It didn't matter anyway, my sight was getting darker and pain was letting go. I was slipping away, I felt lighter and lighter.

Jack's pushing my head to look back at him. I try but I'm so tired. I want to say something, I start to move my lips but I don't hear anything. It's getting quiet and darker, I'm scared. I speak with all the strength I have left. I hope he heard me. My eyelids are heavy but I'm rising them up for the last time and I see him. He looks back at me with regret and guilt all over his face, he mouths "_Elizabeth_." and it's all I need.

There's only one thing I can do for him. I mouth back "_Pirate_." I see understanding flash in his eyes and he nods, smiling. How I missed that smile, _his_ smile; Will forgive me please. I'd give everything to just touch his face but my arms and hands are limp already. Coldness of the rain starts to get to me, I shiver. I'm tired and want go to sleep. When I finally close my eyelids I smile because within that cold I feel warmth coming from Jack's side.

Not so long time later darkness is consuming me. It swallows me all… Until I see a merging light.

A glimmer of hope.


	4. Mine

_Silence…_

You know what they say about light. I've heard it too, pretty often if you ask me. Always the same thing: don't go towards light which is easier to say than to do especially when you're flowing in never ending darkness, you're cold and scared. So what you do when you see bright light at the end of tunnel? Of course that you go towards it and so did I. If you can call it by going, flowing, flying...

After I've felt very comforting warmness coming from it I leapt to it even faster, I simply wanted this nightmare to end. I wanted to die and disappear like a gust of mist. Was it too much? Yes, it was too much and I _got it_ when light became bigger and I almost couldn't look at it anymore. It's odd that fate love to muddle people lives. Especially mine.

The light was getting warmer and warmer, soon enough I could say that wherever I was – was scalding hot and extremely dry. And I heard something. At first not too clearly but with passing seconds sound became louder and reminded me of waves hitting shore. I must've dreamed that or maybe I was just getting sentimental. However believe me or not I prayed they were real.

Oh I almost felt how they soaked me from waist down. No, wait they were real. They had to be! How I want it to be real, to be alive. Then there's that light still blinding me, should I open my eyes and see for myself if I'm not dreaming things? That'd be the best way to find out where I am.

My eyelids still don't want to cooperate with me, staying close no matter how much I try to open them. After awhile I try again and this time behind my lids I feel that awful griding sensation made by dried now sand. Limply my left hand makes contact with my face and I try clean myself best I can for now.

I'm breathing slowly, I live and I smile even not knowing where I am or how's possible that I'm alive. Looking through my shaded eyelids at sun shining high above me I remember the pain and paralyzing fear I've felt when I got shot. But strangest thing it was I didn't feel anything now as if that never happened. Could I dream it?

My track of running thoughts was cut by a loud groan from somewhere beside me. Not too close but not far either and it was getting louder, that meant I wasn't alone. Hope arisen within me and few seconds later I was trying to get a look at the person.

"Bloody buggerin' hell! Me head…"

I know that voice.

"Now _'tis_ be truly distressin'. "

I have to see him. I need to know he's real. Slowly with all my strength I push myself to look towards him, my neck hurts by doing so and my arms neither want to help me but I'm stubborn person that gets whatever she wants. Three next breaths and I catch a glimpse of his silhouette from the corner of my eye. It's him! It's really him!

He stands up with his hands stretched out on bit quivering legs (which is normal) and then screws up his face. I see as one of his hands comes up to stroke his beard. He's thinking hard about something that troubles him. I'm not in my best shape so I sit slowly on the sand not sparing him a look. He doesn't mind and I know it, he's probably thinking about a way out of this situation already anyway.

"Ye'now, luv… I think we might have a little déjà vu sorts of…" Jack spoke in his always deep, rough voice. He didn't look at me when he said that, his eyes were glued to the sea. "Which I'm not really sure we'd be happy fer. Now. In said situation" he finished thought, gesturing around himself.

I've found him looking straight at me then and I sighed loudly glazing at the sea myself.

"I think you might be right on this one, Jack."

"Aye" he murmured, making a face. In a matter of seconds he stepped fast towards me and bended a little too close so I could smell his rum-soaked breath on my face. "And ye'now what's worst in it? Lizzie, dearie?"

I furrowed my brows trying not to make a face. "What?" I asked.

Right then I could swear on my own life I saw all range of emotions on his face but mostly anger and fatigue. Some disappointment too.

"That we don't have a _bloody_ ship! Not even a single _dinghy_! Nothing! All is gone! _The Black Pearl_ is gone! Again!"

"Now, watch your tone, Sparrow!" I shot back at him, however I was in lower position that he. "I am still your King!"

"I'm still your King" he mocked me, making funny face. "Well you might bloody be now! You can be even the empress of this island!"

"This is childish!" I fumed. Somehow I used the newfound strength to get up, standing face to face with him. "You are accusing me of something I even don't know! You better get the story out or else…"

"Or else..?" he mocked me again. Ah, the nerve of that man!

"Else…" I snapped angrily. Okay so now he got me riled up. "You don't have to know."

"There's no else, Miss Swann" he said knowing-it-all. "Because if there was an else ye'd probably used that said else by now. So tis' mean there's no else and won't be any other else!"

"Ugh! And it's Mrs. Turner to _you_!"

I think I might explode any second now, better to go as far away from him as I can. Without warning I started to step along shore. I'm getting hotter with every second but I refuse to take my coat off. Coat, I gazed at it and saw red. A lot of red and even more of it under, not to mention a bullet hole in shirt and round bluish scar in the place where said bullet made contact. And that meant…

"Ye bloody woman… Where ye goin'?" Jack shrieked. "Fine, go! I don't need you anyway! Oh and ye'now what… I'm sorry I saved yer sorry life!"

That hit me. I stopped in my tracks looking closer at wound now all healed. There was something that didn't click and the only way to get some answers was to go ask Jack. As much as I didn't want to speak with him right now, I needed answers. So making up my mind I started to go back. Slowly. I made two steps and Jack turned his back at me and went straight forward resentful.

"Jack..!" I called after him so he pretended that he doesn't hear me. "Jack! Jack…"

He stopped and then turned around so fast I saw all his dreads spinning right with him. "What's that ye Highness want from me?"

I shook my head, he was being silly. "Jack…" I said shortly to cut the game.

"I still doesn't hear what ye want from me, Lizzie."

Should I say it? "I'm sorry, Jack."

He gazed at sand and made a funny face. "Doesn't matter. A life for a life. We're square."

Oddity of our situation hit me hard right then. Just what he said, it was true. A life for a life. I took his and he took mine. Somehow both of us give it back to ourselves in some way. I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

"We're square" I repeated slowly holding my hand to him.

Jack seemed to reconsider all cons and pros and to whatever conclusion he got, he accepted my friendly gesture with broad smile.

"Now, luv do ye have any idea how to get the hell out of here? Without ship it might be a lil' bit tricky and difficult but I believe ye got some ace in a pocket, aye?"

I blinked fast at this change of topic. "Jack…" I warned him and he shrugged, smiling.

"It worked perfectly last time" he said gesturing little.

"You don't mean…" Can he? "You still remember THAT after all those years?"

"Hm…" he furrowed his brows in thought. "Nah" he let go of some idea. "Ye don't think here might be a certain place with a certain beverage…"

"No" I answered and really hoped that I am right. That's when I thought about Will, I don't know why now but I knew something was missing. I checked my pockets (Jack's looking at me curiously) and then I tried to feel my necklace. Not good! "Jack! Key!"

"Key? What key? I've seen a lot of different keys in me life, luv. Ye might be more specific?"

"My key!" I cried and got a sinking feeling in stomach.

"Now…" he cleared his throat. "Lizzie… I've told ye once was enough didn't I? Besides with ye havin' a lil' whelp the key's been used already."

"What?" I asked him. I didn't understand a word he said!

"What?" he repeated in high-pitched voice after me. He looked clearly confused.

"Will's key! To the chest!"

Understanding dawned on him. "With the thump-thump?" he asked.

"Yes! We need to find it! Dammit! How I could lose it?" I wondered aloud.

"Ye need to find it." Jack corrected me.

"Pardon?"

"I said… Ye need to find it, luv. There's no profit whatsoever in finding dear whelp's key fer me. That'd change if a certain person were a bit nicer to me though. I wouldn't mind some treasure too… Hm, maybe we could find The Pearl first and then go look for…"

I mock glared at him, hard. "Jack. Give me your compass."

"No!" he said but gave me lopsided smile. "What's mine, stays mine."

… 

**Tis' be the end fer ye mates, howe'er it seems that tis' be new beginnin' fer them! New adventure, old friends and tis' all awaits them. As a word fer me, author of tis' ff, I thank ye for readin'. Long sail Sparrabeth yer be unsinkable!**


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